Heading the field will be World Champion Mark Selby, Wuxi Classic winner Neil Robertson, and Australian Goldfields Open champion Judd Trump.

Also in action will be Barry Hawkins, Mark Allen, John Higgins, Joe Perry, Mark Williams, Peter Ebdon, Jack Lisowski, Luca Brecel, Jimmy White and making his first appearance of the season as a Non Tour Player will be 6 times World Champion Steve Davis.

Who will kick off the European tour in style by putting themselves in to the Grand finals in March?

I Would be very surprised if Jimmy White stayed on tour in the top 64 this season but as we now know Barry Hearn has handed him a Jimmy Card of Jimmy Cards and he will be playing Snooker on tour until the cows come home getting beaten by all but still Playing on.

Winning this tournament is Massive because it then gives you options to pick and chose Player tour championship events knowing your in the Grand Finals with a minimum of £4,000 and Maximum of £100,000 to be won in Cash and Ranking Points.

Best time to strike if you want to take a few tournaments off is early in the season. By being in the Player tour championship you don't have to enter the China Open so close to the World Championship unless its the best thing for you personally..

Isnt it enough that Steve Davis has a Best mate that is the Chairman of World snooker so he gets a Mates card from him but now David Morris has pulled out Giving Steve a walk over in to the last 64 and a match with either Robert Milkins or Lee Walker at 1.30pm BST on saturday.

World Snooker is delighted to announce Kaspersky lab as the title sponsor of the new Riga Open, which starts tomorrow.

The Kaspersky lab Riga Open is the first ever professional snooker tournament in Latvia and the first event of the 2014/15 European Tour series.

Kaspersky lab is a developer of secure content and threat management systems and the world's largest privately held vendor of software security products.

The tournament runs from August 7 to 10, with the amateur rounds on Thursday followed by the last 128 from Friday to Sunday. Top stars including world number one Neil Robertson, World Champion Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy, Judd Trump, Steve Davis, John Higgins and Jimmy White are all chasing the 25,000 Euro first prize.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "We are thrilled to welcome Kaspersky lab as title sponsor of a tournament for the first time. They will receive fantastic exposure as the tournament will be televised live on British Eurosport, Eurosport and broadcasters throughout Asia to an audience of many millions.

"It's exciting to stage an event in yet another new territory as the popularity of snooker across Europe continues to grow. I have no doubt that the people of Latvia will get behind this event and create a fantastic atmosphere at the Riga Arena, to see the best local talent as well as many of the world's leading professionals."

Tickets for the Kaspersky lab Riga Open are ON SALE NOW. To book, go to www.bilesuserviss.lv. Fans can watch several matches at once and all matches are best of seven frames.

The 2014/15 European Tour series comprises six events across the continent, with the top 24 in the final Order or Merit to go through to the Players Championship next March to battle for the £100,000 jackpot.

I have to say,as much as i,m enjoyin the summer,it does seems like ages since snooker was last shown/since i last watched any,(although the final of the Australian Goldfields Open was exactly <only> a month ago.

I,m really lookin forward to the season continueing again and bein able to read/comment here on Snooker Island!.

My Virgin box was bucking me around this morning. I was trying to watch telly at work, and the picture froze. I rebooted it, but still no joy. It told me if the problem persisted to ring Virgin.

I had this problem last week, and it sorted itself out when I checked a few hours later. I'm a bit worried that after having to wait a month for snooker on, the only television with Eurosport in my house will go down when the PTC is on.

It would fit the bill though. It seems every time there's a PTC on, something prevents me from watching it. One day I want to buy a case of beer and watch a 12 hour session of it without leaving the living room.

SnookerFan wrote:My Virgin box was bucking me around this morning. I was trying to watch telly at work, and the picture froze. I rebooted it, but still no joy. It told me if the problem persisted to ring Virgin.

I had this problem last week, and it sorted itself out when I checked a few hours later. I'm a bit worried that after having to wait a month for snooker on, the only television with Eurosport in my house will go down when the PTC is on.

It would fit the bill though. It seems every time there's a PTC on, something prevents me from watching it. One day I want to buy a case of beer and watch a 12 hour session of it without leaving the living room.

Glad you still a very much enjoy it after all these years! I think PTC is a brilliant idea and format running on, but I am a very sceptical about this European Tour (as well as an overseas tournaments). Obviously if (and a very likely when) there will be some fantastic matches standard-wise, well then it pays off. If people like Robertson, Trump, DIng, O´Sullivan or Ebdon plays an array of a some stupendous shots, and knocks in centuries after centuries obviously then it´s great.